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Файл:Learning to Speak English. Учебное пособие по разговорному английскому языку
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studying and with a year or two of further study get a Master’s Degree. After another year or two of graduate study and work and writing a dissertation, they may get a still higher degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Over four years at the end of each year students
have a final written examination. They take oral exams and write a
dissertation only for advanced degrees.
Students are classified as freshmen (first-year students), sophomores (second-year students), juniors (third-year students), seniors
(fourth-year students) and graduate students (those who graduated
having taken a first academic degree and are continuing their study at
a more advanced level, often for a higher degree). Not all the students get grants.
Most cities have colleges and universities that hold classes in
the evening as well as in the daytime. In this way people who have to
work may attend school in the evening and work for a degree or just
take a course in a subject that interests them. Higher education trains
people to become teachers, engineers, doctors or to do other professional work.
8. Answer the following questions.
1. What do American institutions of higher education include?
2. What are the factors determining an institution’s prestige?
3. What is the average course of study at a higher educational
institution?
4. What does a basic programme of study mean?
5. When do students major in one subject and minor in another
one?
6. When can students get a Bachelor’s degree?
7. When can students get a Master’s degree?
8. When can students get a higher degree of Doctor of Philoso-
phy?
9. What examinations do students have to take at the end of
each year of study?
10. What examinations do students have to take for advanced
degrees?
11. How are students classified?
12. What experts do higher educational institutions train?
9. Correct the following sentences beginning with: “I am
afraid that’s wrong”, or “That isn’t true to the fact”.
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1. After finishing junior schools Americans go on to higher
education.
2. Colleges and universities are only supported privately.
3. After the first two years students follow a basic programme.
4. After four years of study students get a Master’s degree.
5. At the end of each year of study students have no examina-
tions or tests.
6. All the students get grants.
7. Colleges and universities only hold classes in the daytime.
10. Comment on the picture given in the text.
11. Mark the main ideas of the text and retell it in English.
12. Read Text 5B “The Historical Background of Higher
Education in the USA”. Give a brief overview of its structure and
contents in English.
TEXT 5B
THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE USA
Higher education in the US began when in 1636, a short time
after the first colonist came to the territory now called Massachusetts, and they founded Harvard College, later to become the famous
Harvard University. It is the oldest university in the country, named
in honour of John Harvard who left it his library and half his property. The College of William and Mary founded in 1693 was the second institution of higher learning established in the colonies. These
colonial colleges, which later became universities, were founded to
train men for service in the church and civil state. Special emphasis
was laid on classical education and only those who knew Latin and
Greek were considered educated. By 1776 four more institutions had
been opened: Yale University founded in Connecticut (1701),
Princeton University (1746), Washington and Lee University (1749),
and University of Pennsylvania (1740).
In practically every respect American colleges in those days
tried to duplicate the colleges of ancient universities of England.
They were residential colleges in the English fashion, but unlike old
English universities, they were not self-governing bodies.
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The American Revolution brought a lot of changes. The independence of the states followed by the creation of the federal government raised new questions about what American higher educational should be. The first state universities were founded, though
their flowering did not come until after the Civil War, a century later.
Rapid development of industry, agriculture and transportation
brought about great changes. The technological needs of agriculture
and business stimulated the improvement of the early nineteen century universities. Apart from these, agricultural and engineering colleges came into existence to meet the practical needs of industry and
agriculture. The mid-nineteenth century (1861) saw the foundation of
private school known as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT).
Gradually universities, private or public, became the dominant
and most influential structure of higher education, a position they
still hold. Many of the oldest and best known liberal arts colleges,
such as Yale, Columbia and Harvard, became universities during this
period. Several of the public institutions, such as Michigan, Wisconsin and California also received the status of universities. Many private institutions, which came into existence at about this time, exercised great influence on American education.
Eventually a peculiarly American structure unlike any other
existing university system was produced. In the 1870s graduate
school was introduced in the American university. It was placed
structurally on the top of what came to be known as undergraduate
school devoted to general education. Gradually professional schools
were incorporated into the university, some paralleling the graduate
schools (e.g. Law School, Medical School, etc.), others paralleling
the liberal arts colleges (Engineering, Forestry, Music Schools, etc.).
Along with this, the practice of majoring in a specific subject became
common.
Between 1825 and 1875 the idea of college education for
women developed in the country. At first it was provided in separate
colleges for women (such as Wells, Vassar, etc.) but the general
trend was toward coeducation.
The only distinct structural feature to emerge during the twentieth century has been the two-year junior (or community) college.
Initially its major purpose was to provide a parallel to the first two
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years of liberal arts instruction given in the four-year colleges. Such
a programme is still usually included in the curriculum but throughout the first half of the 20th century, the junior colleges have been
expanding their scope.
The educational progress of the late 19th century stemmed
from the development of science and professionalism, the development of advanced studies, and the recognition in the education system of the innumerable fronts upon which knowledge was growing.
13. Answer the following questions.
1. When did higher education in the USA begin?
2. What was John Harvard’s role in establishing Harvard col-
lege?
3. What were the aims of early institutions of higher education
in the USA?
4. What institutions had been opened by 1776?
5. Did American colleges duplicate their English counterparts
in all respects?
6. What did the American Revolution bring in the field of
higher education?
7. Why did agricultural and engineering colleges come into ex-
istence?
8. When did liberal arts colleges in Yale, Columbia and Har-
vard become universities?
9. What is a graduate school?
10. When was graduate school introduced in America?
11. What does the word school mean as applied to an element
of an American University?
12. When were women first admitted to American universi-
ties?
13. What was the major purpose of junior colleges?
14. What is the educational progress of the late 19th century
like?
14. Reproduce the parts of the text in which these words
and phrases are used. Use these phrases in short stories of your
own.
To found, to be named in honour of somebody, an institution
of higher learning, to train men/women for something, to lay special
emphasis on something, to open/to establish an institution, a residen-
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tial college, a self-governing body, to raise a question, to bring about,
apart from something, gradually, to hold a position, a liberal arts college, to come into existence, to exercise influence on something/
somebody, to incorporate, coeducation, a community college, to expand one’s scope, to stem from something.
15. Consider the following statements and say if you agree
or disagree with them. Use the introductory phrases given in the
previous Units.
1. The College of William and Mary is the oldest educational
institution in America.
2. Women were not admitted to the first colonial colleges.
3. The early colleges were residential ones and self-governing
bodies like old English Universities.
4. The flowering of the first state universities came after the
American Revolution.
5. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology was established
in the early nineteenth century.
6. No public institutions received the status of universities in
the nineteenth century
7. The majoring in a specific subject was practiced in the nineteenth century.
8. The general trend of higher education in the mid-nineteenth
century was toward the training of men and women in separate colleges.
9. The 20th century saw the expanding of the scope of junior
colleges.
10. Advanced studies are the ones which in progress and complexity are beyond the usual course and they very often mean graduate studies taken after the four-year undergraduate programme.
16. Speak on the following subjects.
1. The early colonial colleges.
2. Higher educational institutions after the American Revolution.
3. Some specific features of higher education in America in the
nineteenth century.
4. A junior college as a peculiar American educational institution.
17. Retell the Text according to the plan made up.
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18. Read Text 5C “Massachusetts Institute of Technology”
and tell the class what information is new to you.
TEXT 5C
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is an independent university located in Boston area. It was founded in 1861 by William Barton Rogers, a distinguished natural scientist, who believed
professional competence to be best fostered by the combining of
teaching, research, and the application of knowledge to real-world
problems. MIT held its first classes in 1865 after having delayed
opening because of Civil War.
Today MIT has about 10,000 students, a faculty of approximately 1,000 and several thousand research staff. The total teaching
staff numbers more than 1,800. The institute is broadly organized
into five academic Schools – Architecture and Planning, Engineering, Humanities and Social Science, Management and Science – and
a large number of interdisciplinary programmes, laboratories, and
centers, including the Whitaker College of Health Science, Technology and Management. A unique feature of MIT is that undergraduates join with graduate students, faculty, and staff to work on research projects throughout the institute.
Most academic activities take place in a group of interconnected buildings designed to permit easy communication among the
Schools and their 22 departments. Across the street from this set of
buildings there are athletic fields, the student center, and many of the
dormitories.
The main purpose of the academic programme at MIT is to
give students a sound command of basic principles, the habit of continued learning and the confidence that comes from a thorough and
systematic approach to learning. This results in continued professional and personal growth, especially in today’s rapidly changing
world. The two essential parts of all MIT educational programmes
are teaching and research. Both of these activities carried on together
have greater potential than either performed alone. They provide experience in theory and experiment for both students and teaching
staff.
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Each student pursues a degree in one of the departments. Undergraduate courses at MIT lead to the degree of Bachelor of Science
(S.B.). The academic programmes require four years of full-time
study for the Bachelor of Science. Degrees are awarded on the basis
of satisfactory completion of general institute and departmental requirements in each programme.
There is enough flexibility, however, to allow each student, in
collaboration with the adviser, to develop an individual programme
in accordance with his or her own interests and preparation.
19. Answer the following questions.
1. Where is Massachusetts Institute of Technology located?
2. When was MIT established?
3. What is the structure of MIT?
4. What is a unique feature of MIT?
5. How are most academic activities arranged at MIT?
6. Are there any sports facilities at MIT?
7. What is the chief aim of the academic programme at MIT?
8. Why do the two essential parts of MIT educational pro-
grammes have greater potential than the previous ones?
9. What is the system of degrees at MIT?
10. How are degrees awarded?
20. Discuss the text in pairs. Use the pattern below as a
model and guidelines.
A.: It has been stated that undergraduates join with graduate
students, faculty, and staff to work on research projects throughout
the institute.
B.: I think it’s debatable. As a matter of fact sometimes
knowledge of undergraduates is not profound enough to carry on
research together with graduate students, faculty and staff.
A.: I can’t agree with you. As far as I know from the text …,
etc.
21. Mark the main ideas of the text and retell it in English.
22. Make up a story about higher education in the United
States of America.
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SECTION 3
SPEAKING
23. Practise dialogue 1.
Dialogue 1
Talking about the System of Higher Education in the USA
Ivanov, a Russian student, is talking to his American counterparts.
Ivanov: I always seem to have a lot of questions. Take the sys-
tem of higher education, for instance. It’s rather complicated in the
USA, wouldn’t you say? I’m confused about a few things. Could I
ask you some questions?
Barbara, Donald: Oh, please, do. We also have questions to
ask you about your country. But one thing at a time…
Ivanov: Well, then… Is there any national system of higher
education in this country? And what’s the difference between private
and state universities?
Barbara: Higher education in this country is not a nation-wide
system. That’s a very important item. It isn’t tightly organized or
monolithic; its institutions differ considerably in size and sponsorship. They range from two-year community colleges to major research universities of a hundred thousand students.
Donald: The next thing to know is that there are two types of
universities and colleges in the United States, as you know – private
and state (not federal, mind you). The difference between them is the
following: private colleges are very expensive, they are generally
smaller and the tuition fees are much higher. In the state colleges and
universities the fees are lower, especially for state residents. They are
subsidized by state governments. The University of California (UC)
and the State University of New York (SUNY) are two examples of
such public schools. Yet it’s more prestigious to get a degree at a
private university where the quality of education is almost always
better, and this can make a difference in the job market later on. So
it’s probably worth all the bucks that go into it, anyway.
Ivanov: I’ve also been wondering about the entrance standards.
How do you get accepted into a college?
Barbara: As a matter of fact, entrance standards and admission
policies may differ considerably from university to university. First
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of all the applicant must have a satisfactory high school transcript
which helps university officials determine the applicant’s capacity to
do satisfactory work at a university. While still in high school, the
student also takes the SAT, if he wants to apply to a university. The
applicant must also write an essay of some kind, often autobiographical. An interview is usually required when one applies to a private
university.
Ivanov: Does one have to compete for admission?
Donald: Not as much as in your country, I guess. However,
one does have to compete when applying to a prestigious school.
Most private colleges are competitive and so are many state colleges.
But some public colleges and universities accept nearly all applicants.
Ivanov: Thank you very much for your information.
Note
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) – тест на проверку способностей и наклонностей ученика, предлагаемый всем поступающим в университет
24. Make up dialogues of your own using dialogue 1 as a
model.
Situations: You meet your American friend and talk about:
a) private and state universities;
b) the difference in higher education of Russia and the USA.
25. Practise dialogue 2.
Dialogue 2
Talking about the General Pattern of the System
of Higher Education and Degrees
Ivanov: I’d like to know the general pattern of the system of
higher education in the USA.
Briggs: I’ll try to sketch out here what seems most important.
A distinctive feature of American university is its two levels – the
separation of undergraduate from graduate education. The first level
is Undergraduate School of four years’ duration. Here the work of
undergraduate students (undergraduates) during the first two years
(the freshman year and the sophomore year) usually consists of
broadly-based studies in humanities, social science, applied and natural science.
89
Barbara: I’m a sophomore at Yale and Donald is a freshman at
Columbia. Indeed, the first two years at Undergraduate School are
aimed at providing general education and preparing for more special
studies. The last two years (the junior and senior years) are devoted
almost entirely to the major discipline.
Donald: After the sophomore year, the undergraduate majors
in one special subject, which means he takes the majority of courses
in this one area. For instance, Barbara is majoring in French. My interests are in science – I’m majoring in chemistry and biochemistry.
Briggs: If all goes well, this undergraduate education culmi-
nates in a Bachelor’s degree (BS or BA). It’s usually known as the
first degree and may be a terminal qualification. But it is often considered as a background for further specialization, a step toward
higher (or advanced) degree.
Ivanov: What about advanced degrees, how are they obtained?
Briggs: I’m just coming to this point… The advanced degrees
(the Master’s degree and the PhD) can be obtained in Graduate
School, which is the second level of university education. There are
two levels of graduate school: the lower for obtaining the Master’s
degree (MS or MA) and the upper level for the doctorate or the PhD,
which is a research degree. A graduate student works for two or three
years. Within this period of time he takes courses, passes exams,
does some laboratory research under a competent professor, and on
submitting a thesis he is awarded a Master’s degree, though a thesis
is not always required.
Ivanov: The Master’s degree is not a research degree, right?
Briggs: No, it isn’t.
Ivanov: How does one get the PhD degree?
Briggs: Well, it’s like this. A PhD degree (Doctor of Philoso-
phy) is basically a research degree awarded in Graduate School in
recognition of achievement in research. If the graduate student is ac-
cepted into the PhD program, after obtaining a Master’s degree, he
takes two or three years of advanced courses in his field of interest.
During this time, he passes exams and does research preparing for
his thesis. His research usually culminates in a written dissertation
which most demonstrate that the doctoral student has talent and ability for independent research. He comes before a panel of experts in
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